A Toast to Lighting

 

Similar to their Bottle Lamp, the latest in Ambientec’s collection of tabletop lighting, Xtal sets the mood with elegant simplicity thanks to its cordless design. The rechargeable luminaire looks just like a glass, making it right at home at the dinner table. The double-sided LED developed originally by Ambientec irradiates light in all directions, enabling the Xtal to produce beautiful and effective illumination despite its compact size. The shimmering illumination is made possible by a metallic reflector with a smoothly curved surface combined with hand-cut solid glass and three-step brightness control. Designer: Ryu Kozeki for Ambientec Corporation Posted: 30 Sep 2015 12:00 AM PDT

Mobile robots could help the elderly live fuller lives, experts say

 

Mobile service robots developed by computer scientists at the University of Lincoln, UK, could soon be helping elderly people stay independent and active for longer. A new international project will test the ability of robots to support our aging populations by assisting residents of care homes in three European countries. ENRICHME (ENabling Robot and assisted living environment for Independent Care and Health Monitoring of the Elderly) will see service robots integrated with smarthomes -- residences which incorporate advanced automation systems to provide inhabitants with sophisticated monitoring and control functions -- in order to provide round-the-clock feedback to carers and health professionals. This will enable people with mild cognitive impairments to live more independently, and the robots will also help with activities that can improve quality of life, such as exercise and social visits. The project, which includes artificial intelligence and robotics experts at the University of Lincoln's School of Computer Science, will include a large-scale evaluation where robots will be deployed within the extra-care homes of LACE Housing Association in the UK, to care homes in Greece and to elderly people's own homes in Poland, for one year. Principal Investigator Dr Nicola Bellotto from the University of Lincoln said: "The system will build on recent advances in mobile service robotics and ambient assisted living to help people improve health and wellbeing. From a technological point of view there will be an intelligent interactive robot that is integrated with a smarthome, communicating with a network of care givers and relatives. This will be of particular benefit to those people who have mild cognitive impairments, for example older people who are still physically healthy but may have early symptoms of dementia." ENRICHME will enable caregivers and professional staff to identify evolving trends of cognitive impairments and to detect possible emergencies. This includes monitoring sudden changes in mood which might indicate deterioration, or the need for family or health services to step in. Dr Bellotto added: "If the robot detects that the mood of the person is particularly low, it might suggest some kind of game or interaction with relatives. It could record information on how the mood changes and provide professional staff with feedback over a period of time, which would be very useful when studying the evolution of particular cognitive impairments." The robots will also be programmed to identify individual people in order to provide personalised services for elderly people living with others. New research in the field of adaptive human-robot interaction (HRI) will provide tools for the robots to support cognitive stimulation and social inclusion, which improve over time by learning from and adapting to the state of the user. Hazel Ashmore, Project Lead Officer for LACE Housing, said: "Our focus at LACE Housing is on doing everything possible to enhance and maintain an older person's independence and wellbeing, whatever their circumstances. This is an exciting opportunity to explore the potential benefits of assistive technology, particularly the introduction of robots in this case, to complement our usual operations. We look forward to working alongside the University of Lincoln and with colleagues from other European countries so that we can evaluate and learn more about, and so that our residents may benefit from, the use of such technology in the future." ENRICHME includes multi-disciplinary research in geriatrics, gerontology and gero-technology, enabling further studies in social sciences and neuropsychology. The project is funded with a 4 million Euro grant from Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for 2014-2020, of which 540,000 Euros have been assigned to support research at the University of Lincoln.   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150929112121.htm

Research could help inform interventions to promote positive behaviors in adolescents

 

Engaging in prosocial behaviors has a self-reinforcing quality that eventually may become incorporated into how adolescents view their moral selves; this may help explain how some individuals, over time, become more likely to engage in prosocial behaviors and become more sympathetic Credit: © highwaystarz / Fotolia Developmental psychologists long have debated whether individuals volunteer and help others because they are sympathetic or whether they are sympathetic because they are prosocial. Now, new research from the University of Missouri helps clarify some of the confusion, which could lead to better interventions to promote positive behaviors in adolescents and clues as to what makes some individuals altruistic. "As researchers, we've known about the link between sympathy and prosocial behavior, such as volunteering and helping others, for a long time, but we didn't have much evidence about the nature of the relationship," said Gustavo Carlo, Millsap Professor of Diversity in MU's College of Human Environmental Sciences. "We demonstrated that a reciprocal relationship existed between prosocial behaviors and sympathy for adolescents from ages 12 to 16. Sympathy predicted prosocial behaviors, but also engaging in earlier prosocial behaviors positively predicted later sympathy." Engaging in prosocial behaviors has a self-reinforcing quality that eventually may become incorporated into how adolescents view their moral selves; this may help explain how some individuals, over time, become more likely to engage in prosocial behaviors and become more sympathetic, Carlo said. "This research has tremendous implications for understanding those individuals who we think of as moral exemplars, individuals who commit themselves to certain causes or other forms of generosity -- people such as Mahatma Ghandi, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King Jr. and others," Carlo said. "We want to know which developmental processes led these individuals to eventually manifest altruistic behaviors that set them apart from other individuals. For every one of those individuals who became famous, thousands of others exist who are doing fantastic work and helping to improve our society on a day-to-day basis." For the study, the researchers recruited 500 12-year-olds to answer questions about sympathy and prosocial behaviors. The researchers questioned the adolescents four more times, each about a year apart, to observe changes in the adolescents' behavior and sympathy over time. The researchers observed a decline in sympathy among boys in early adolescence, but a steady increase followed the dip as the boys matured. Girls had higher levels of sympathy and prosocial behaviors at all ages. To increase prosocial behaviors among adolescents, and among boys in particular, attention should focus on changing the societal environment so it encourages boys and girls to express their prosociality, Carlo said. "Unfortunately, in our society, the pressures for boys to act tough and to not express what's seen as a sign of weakness is suppressing prosocial behaviors," Carlo said. "We need to pay attention to adolescents' contexts and their socialization groups. Prosocial behaviors clearly are natural tendencies, and unfortunately, some cultural contexts make it difficult for adolescents to express those tendencies, which should be signs of strength and not weakness. We need to get that message across and make it easier for kids to express what's innately inside of them." Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Missouri-Columbia. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Gustavo Carlo, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Matthew G. Nielson. Longitudinal Bidirectional Relations Between Adolescents’ Sympathy and Prosocial Behavior.. Developmental Psychology, 2015; DOI: 10.1037/dev0000056 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150929142256.htm

Inspirational Quotes on Life

 

“The consequences of today are determined by the actions of the past. To change your future, alter your decisions today.” ~ Unknown “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin “We must not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we began and to know the place for the first time.” – T. S. Eliot “There’s no next time. It’s now or never.” – Celestine Chua “For every effect there is a root cause. Find and address the root cause rather than try to fix the effect, as there is no end to the latter.”  – Celestine Chua “When you don’t get what you want, you suffer. If you get it, you suffer too since you can’t hold on to it forever.” – Peaceful Warrior, on the fallacy of attachment “Every moment you get is a gift. Spend it on things that matter. Don’t spend it by dwelling on unhappy things.”  – Celestine Chua “There are no ordinary moments. There is always something going on.” – Peaceful Warrior “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “Everything around us is made up of energy. To attract positive things in your life, start by giving off positive energy.” – Celestine Chua “Don’t put off living to next week, next month, next year or next decade. The only time you’re ever living is in this moment.”  – Celestine Chua “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” ~ Mark Twain “Life is a gift. Never forget to enjoy and bask in every moment you are in.”  – Celestine Chua “The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced.” – Art Van Der Leeuw “My life is my message.” – Gandhi “If wrinkles must be written upon our brow, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should not grow old.” – James A. Garfield “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” ~ Unknown “In the beginning you will fall into the gaps in between thoughts – after practicing for years, you become the gap.” – J.Kleykamp (Regardingmeditation) “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” ~ Jim Rohn http://personalexcellence.co/blog/101-inspiring-quotes/

8 solutions to healthy-eating roadblocks

 

Don't like to cook? Can't resist junk food? Use practical strategies to overcome your biggest healthy-eating challenges. Life doesn't follow a perfectly smooth course. You will inevitably run into obstacles on the journey to healthy eating. It's how you respond that makes the difference. For long-term success, you'll need strategies in place to solve problems as they arise. The first step is to identify and define potential roadblocks and brainstorm solutions. Identify the barriers most likely to get in your way and plan ahead how you'll face those challenges. Roadblock: "I don't have time to make healthy meals." Healthy detours: If you use smart cooking strategies, creating a healthy meal doesn't have to take too much time. Planning ahead is a great time-saver. For example, shop for several meals at one time, or prepare foods over the weekend and then freeze meal-sized portions to reheat during the week. You can also keep it simple with a fresh salad and low-calorie dressing, a whole-grain roll and a piece of fruit, or a healthy sandwich, soup or entree from a deli or grocery store. Roadblock: "I don't like vegetables and fruits." Healthy detours: You don't need to like all fresh vegetables and fruits. Just find some that you enjoy. Experiment by sampling produce you've never eaten before. Add fruits or veggies to your favorite recipes, or replace meat with vegetables when possible. Experiment with new ways to prepare produce, such as grilling pineapple or lightly cooking vegetables if you don't like them raw. Roadblock: “I don't like to cook.” Healthy detours: Not interested in becoming a gourmet chef? No problem. Many cookbooks offer recipes for quick and easy healthy meals. Or you can use creative shortcuts that don't require a lot of cooking, such as prepackaged vegetables and lean meats. Also, remember that cooking is a skill: The more you practice, the better you will become. Roadblock: "My family doesn't like to try new things, and it's too much work to make two different meals." Healthy detours: You're right — you don't want to fall into the trap of making the "good" food for the family and the "diet" food for yourself. So instead, ask for your family's input — and help — on healthy foods they'd like to try, which may make them more willing to experiment. Take it slow, and make a few small changes each week. You may be able to make some dishes healthier and tastier and your family won't even realize it. If you have a favorite dish that you don't want to abandon, prepare it with a different cooking method, such as baking rather than frying. Roadblock: "I can't resist junk food!" Healthy detours: As you prepare your healthy-eating plan, ask yourself how you can fit the occasional treat into the plan without derailing your overall weight-loss efforts. If you give up all your favorite foods, you'll feel deprived, which decreases your chances of successful weight management. Give yourself permission to eat them on occasion and in moderation. Find a happy medium for high-calorie foods. Could you take the kids out for ice-cream cones once a week or buy a small bag of chips for the Sunday-afternoon football game? That's better than buying a gallon of ice cream for your freezer, where it causes constant temptation. You can also try healthier versions of your favorite snack foods, such as baked, rather than regular, potato chips. In addition, eat healthy foods before having your treat. It can help you eat less of your favorite treats. Roadblock: "When eating out, I like to eat large portions of my favorite foods, not something healthy." Healthy detours: It's OK to occasionally have your favorite foods if you do it healthfully. For example, when at a restaurant, eat half of your favorite meal and save the other half for the next day. Or, if you know you'll be eating extra calories, increase your exercise for the day. Explore ways to make your favorite dish healthier. If your meal contains a rich sauce, for instance, ask for it on the side so that you can control how much of it you eat. If you dine out often, however, it's best to make healthy choices part of your routine. You don't want a large indulgence to cancel out all your good efforts. Roadblock: "I don't eat breakfast because I'm not hungry in the morning." Healthy detours: Research shows that eating breakfast helps people better manage their weight, in part because it helps keep them from feeling ravenous and overeating later in the day. So, even if you're not hungry, try to eat a little something in the morning. Start gradually by planning to have breakfast twice a week and then work toward eating breakfast every day. Keep foods on hand that you can take with you on busy days, such as apples, bananas, whole-grain bagels and low-fat yogurt in single-serving containers. Roadblock: "Keeping food records — measuring food, keeping track and figuring out calories — takes too much work." Healthy detours: Losing weight does take time and effort. That will gradually lessen as you get used to knowing what serving sizes should look like and how many calories you should have each day. But, initially, keeping detailed records will help you work toward your main goal: reaching a healthy weight. Make these initial steps easier on yourself by keeping your food record and serving-sizes chart handy and logging your entries after each meal instead of at day's end. http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/motivate/solutions-to-healthy-eating-roadblocks?xid=nl_MayoClinicDiet_20150930